satori or lotus?

Hello smart notebook users,
I've been a desktop gamer forever, but am now looking for more mobility: my first laptop!
I've done some research on hardware and clevo resalers, but would love your feedback on ways to save cost.

Here's what I want:
Q2760
6990m
8gigs RAM
500g HD

Question:
Malibal satori (p170 I believe), or lotus (p150)? I know there is a difference in power and chipset/screen size. Similar spec'd lotus is cheaper, but how does it compare on performance to satori? Any other necessities in mind (prob upgrading display as well), or cost saving ideas?

Thanks for the help!

 

Satori + 128GB SSD in primary bay. Can't beat the mobility of a laptop; desktops are already going the way of landlines; often essential for office environments; yet completely outclassed from a personal convenience point of view.

 

It just depends on how big screen you want.. If you get the same specs in each they should perform the exact same

 

1. portability. i personally think lotus is the borderline of portability.
the satori, technically can carry around too but more trouble than the lotus.

2. The satory has 2 storage bays and lotus has 1, but you can swap out the optical disk drive in the lotus for another storage drive, you will rarely use the ODD anyway.

3. 17.3" screen vs 15.6" screen. my friend has a 17 inch laptop. its noticeably bit larger but definitely not night-and-day. The lotus screen is still 1080p FHD so the difference is only physical.

4. the lotus has a rubbery finish, while satori has metal. neither is better just a preference thing.

otherwise there are no noticeable differences from the 2.

Personally, I say go for the lotus unless its gonna sit on the desk all the time as a desktop replacement but why bother getting a laptop if thats the
case?

Also on the side, just saying cuz you asked for 'cost saving ideas'. do you run cpu-intensive programs? if not, just get the stock CPU. it will make zero difference in day-to-day use or gaming.

 

I have no problem with portability of my Satori; just get a decent roller case like Swiss with ball bearing wheels. A nice shoulder strap bag can work too unless you are a puny wuss (in which case, get off computer and go to gym, lol).

 

The P150HM is already a pain in the butt carrying around with the massive power brick. It isn't particularly heavy if you use a laptop backpack or roller, but it is unwieldy and takes up a crap load of inventory space. You might as well carry around 3 dragon bones and 3 dragon scales.

I am college student though, so I take this machine across a giant campus all day long. In my opinion, it all comes down to your traveling habits. If you're like me, get the P150HM. If not, let the screen size and the second HD bay guide you.

Also, get the hybrid HD if you get the P150HM. If you get the P170, get an SSD.

 

Wow thanks for all the help, everyone! After reading your posts, I believe I'm leaning towards the lotus (p150), however, I am lacking knowledge on the latest hardrive technology.

Why is the Satori's SSD better (actual performance/reading speeds?) than traditional HD?

Why go hybrid NAND for lotus? Does the flash act as extra RAM? Would I need to deal with partitioning?

On the screen sizes - they are same resolution, but satori's is larger (more rendering?) so wouldn't that mean that an equally spec'd lotus would outperform a satori on fps? And since I have all the desktop fixins (monitor/keyboard/mouse/etc.,) I will probably just hook up laptop to these devices when at home (docking). Does this mean that my docked laptop will actually perform worse than my standalone laptop due to rendering on a larger monitor?

On extras - I will definitely grab the IC Diamond thermal paste, but is the bigfoot wireless card worth the extra $30 over onboard?

Lastly, how do I gain access to any special deals might knock down the final price?...I see that Malibal offers NBR member discounts. Am I included in that?

Thanks again!

 

Screen size has no impact on performance it's all about the resolution same resolution same performance. Get the Bigfoot killer it's worth it but you might lose Bluetooth. As for the discount just PM MALIBAL he will give you the code for the discount

 

The Satori is better for SSD + HDD configurations because it has two hard drive bays. With the Lotus, you have to give up your optical bay, which is not a great idea IMO as it is SATAII only.

 

It is not better, but it has more space to fit HDD, SSD while keeping your optical drive. For P150HM you can only fit two of these (external DVD or Blue-ray will be handy so no problem)

In short, hyprid disk caches frequently used files in the flash part of the disk which can speed up some operations, but it cannot beat pure SSD performance for sure.

As per my understanding, the screen size is not related to the performance; fitting more on the screen depends on the resolution not the screen size. Given both has the same resolution, the icons and text will be easier to read on a larger screen size (i.e. 17'')

Only if you play game on wireless network, otherwise I would prefer Intel 6230 to have both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

If you have 5 posts here (not spam), you can PM MALIBAL for NBR discount.

 

Quick question while we are on the subject of these two machines.. Is the track pad on the Satori much better than the rubber coated one of the Lotus? To anyone who has tried both

 

I doubt that many of us have both machines to compare. I have no problems with Satori touchpad, however it spends 99% of its time disabled because I prefer my mouse.

 

Yeah, this is exactly what I was meaning.

Personally, I hate the P150HM rubberized trackpad. It is the only thing I dislike about my P150HM. Never used Satori though.

I use a mouse 100% of the time.

 

OK - After all of the wonderful input from you notebook users (i suppose I'm almost one of you as well...scary thought), I've decided the storage space and screen size of the satori just aren't worth the extra couple hundred bucks for me. I believe I'll be going with the below lotus config. Any last minute thoughts?

Thank you all so much, I REALLY appreciate your expert advice. You've already saved me money and pain

-T


Customizations:
Promotions: $100 OFF Configurations Over $1500
Display: 15.6" 1920 x 1080 FHD LED AUO B156HW01 V.4 95% NTSC Matte Display $95.00
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-2760QM, 6MB L3 Cache, 2.4-3.5GHz $160.00
Memory: (8GB) 8192MB, PC3-10660/1333MHz DDR3 - 2 SO-DIMM
Graphics Card: AMD® Radeon HD 6990M 2GB GDDR5 $145.00
Hard Drive: 500GB 7200rpm 2.5" SATA 300
Optical Drive Bay: 8X Multi DVD+/-R/RW RAM Dual-Layer Drive
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium; 64-bit $80.00
Wireless: Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Wireless-N 1102 802.11A/B/G/N LAN Card
$30.00
Cooling: IC Diamond 7 Thermal Compound, CPU & GPU
$40.00
Keyboard: English: US & Canada
Power Cord: US & Canada
Power Cord: Europe $9.00
Branding: MALIBAL
Build Time: 5-7 Business Days (Estimated Time)
Warranty: LIFETIME Ltd. Labor and 1 Year Parts Warranty with 24/7 Support (USA)
Extras: Standard Black Carrying Case
Extras: Integrated 2.0 Megapixel Web Camera
Extras: Integrated 9 in 1 Card Reader
Extras: Integrated Fingerprint Reader
Extras: MALIBAL Software & Drivers Disc
Extras: Microsoft Office Ready OS with Free 60-Day Trial
Extras: Microsoft Windows 7 DVD-ROM
Notebook Coolers: Cooler Master NotePal U3 Notebook Cooler $39.00
Reconfigure Lotus P150HM
Product Subtotal: $1,917.00 (minus the 100, and any additional discounts I can grab from malibal support )

 

from reflex canada the price between the two are only $55, I jumped on the 17" with similar specs and I heard the rubber coating wears off over time

 

u r wasting $160 on processor. 2.2 quad is more than enough
do you really need the u3? I have a zalman 3000 but I am crazy
def ask for discounts after 5 posts. Also look at xoticpc.com
get hybrid hardrive from amazon! super deal right now
Amazon.com: Seagate Momentus XT 750 GB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s 32 MB Cache 2.5 Inch Solid State Hybrid Drive ST750LX003: Computers & Accessories

 

Wow, you are paying WAAY too much for a 15 inch. I cannot figure out why the price is so high; I only paid $16xx for my P170HM; similar config as you but I stuck with glossy screen.

 

I just placed my order on a 8170

2670
8gb ddr3 1333
6990m
500gb
Intel wifi 6250
It came to 1563 cad after taxes including shipping

 

Hmmm...I really don't know why the price is so much higher for me than the two of you...
That was just going off of the Malibal site - not discounting any NBR benefit.

Also, I AM using this opportunity to grab some other essentials, like Windows 7, a notebook cooler rack (U3, should I just grab a different one from web for cheaper?) and Euro power cord.

Here is the similar build from XoticPC, with Intel wireless card instead of bigfoot, a different cooler rack, and no Euro power cord:

Sager NP8150 / Clevo P150HM
- 15.6" FHD 16:9 "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Anti-Glare Screen w/ 95% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080) (SKU - S1R317)
- 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-2760QM, 2.4-3.5GHz, (32nm, 6MB L3 cache) (SKU - S2R202)
- IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU
- ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 6990M 2048MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11 $100 OFF (SKU - S3R151)
- 8GB - DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (SKU - S4R365)
- 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache) - Default (SKU - S5R207)
- Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti DVDRW/CDRW Drive w/ Software (When selecting a Hard Drive in the Optical Bay, No Optical Drive is Included) (SKU - S7R455)
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Intel® Advanced-N 6230 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module + Bluetooth (SKU - S8R111)
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- Regular Size Notebook Cooler - Dual Fans - USB Powered (For up to 15.4" Laptops)
- ~Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's + Microsoft Office Starter 2010 - Included with OS Purchase
- LIFETIME Ltd Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime -24/7 DOMESTIC Based- Toll Free Telephone Tech Support (Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)
Includes FREE Shipping Both Ways for Warranty Repairs (SKU - X9R009)
- Standard Production Time
$1,812.00
Sub-Total: $1,812.00

XoticPC cost without cooler rack and Windows7 (I actually do need both, but I wanted to compare with your prices): $1,684.00

Not much of a difference from Malibal, and still seems quite a bit higher than your similar builds. I wonder if the NBR discount would cover the difference?

 

You need to stay with the i7-2670QM if you want the same price.

 

1)Drop the cpu down, the 2.0ghz, 2.2ghz and 2.4ghz model are all pretty much on par with eachother
2)You don't really need the bigfoot killer do you? I'm using the intel 6230, and I play games on wireless and it works perfectly.
3)Do what the other guy said, change the harddrive to just the caddy (no hard drive) and buy the seagate momentus hybrid drive from amazon, and pop it in yourself. It's really easy and theres plenty of guides onlne

I configured it to about 1.6k on malibal, excluding the $170 hybrid hdd

 

Benchmarks Core i7-2670QM Core i7-2760QM
PassMark Score: 6773 7604
Super Pi 2M (Lower in better): 28 seconds 25 seconds
3D Mark 06 CPU: 5420 5950
Windows 7 Experience Score: 7.5 7.5

 

in benchmarks you see the diff, but in real life use theres nothing..

 

You are correct - late night eyes - my mistake

Due to the high cost, I am considering taking your advice and dropping down to next CPU tier, however, I remember in my research seeing that the 2760 (2.4-3.5) was the real sweet spot for performance/cost. This will still be a huge upgrade for me (desktop Q6600 OCd to 3.4 w/4gigs ram) so perhaps I should just settle for the 2670 @ 2.2-3.1.
If the hardrive upgrade is really that important (as you all have pointed out) then I might be willing to grab the 2670 in order to cover the cost of an SSD.

I guess not. I will be playing on wireless networks all over the country, but if you think the difference is negligible I'd rather save the extra money.

I want an optical bay. So, I either have to grab a large (and expensive) SSD or hybrid as the main storage.

I have lots of desktop creation/hardware experience, but absolutely zero laptop experience. If I decide to not include an installed harddrive with initial computer purchase and just do it on my own later, it will ship as a completely blank system, yes? Just a BIOS? Honestly, even with the guides, I think I would be nervous to trouble-shoot any issues that might arise.

That is so much more reasonable. I might drop down to 2670, and then use that cushion for the hybrid.

Thanks again guys, I'll keep you posted.

 

This. The Satori is way better in terms of cooling, as far as I have seen; Most Lotus users who have the 6990M suffer from temps in the upper 90s range.

The size is considerable but it's not detrimental to the functionality of the Satori over the Lotus, just a minor inconvenience due to the weight. However that's a small price to pay by comparison to the added hard drive bay and overall performance increases you receive in return.

The 15" machines are awesome due to their super compact design, but most people here I think would prefer to have a larger machine for gaming.

 

UPPER 90s?? ive never seen over 92. and I generally never see over 85. and I think im one of the higher ones.

He should see something similar or less since hes getting ICD and a cooling pad

 

Yeah, upper 90's would be worth sending back to us to look at

Upper 80's is not uncommon, but once you go north of 90C you should consider repasting, elevating the back, or lowering your ambient temps, because they are not normal.

Most users report < 90C on the 6990m, which is normal.

 

Only reason to get the i7-2760 is if you have specific tools or apps that will make use of the added processing power (virtual machines, computing apps, databases etc...) otherwise save up on the processor upgrade to invest on the screen upgrade or an SSD/hybrid which would benefit you much more.

also you could buy the harddrives after market to save you some cash, installing the O.S. and configuring the laptop is pretty much the same on desktops (even easier with less options available to you in the bios).

personally though SSD on the main, HDD to replace the optical drive and a usb 3 dvd or blu ray combo is what I'd use on the sager np8150

 

All good points. I do a lot of GIS and data analysis, but honestly, even the 2670 is an upgrade from my current desktop processing power. So, I think I'm opting to just save the $160 on the processor and stick with the 2670.

Harddrives - I'm just sticking with the cheapest available. I know you all want me to grab the hybrid or SSD, but I really need to trim cost and storage is the least important thing to me. If it's as easy as you say to exchange components, perhaps I'll upgrade the harddrive in another year or so once money isn't such a concern.
You know what...do I really need a cooler rack as well? I know the 6990m gets hot, but will it really be that bad without a rack?


Malibal Lotus:
Display: 15.6" 1920 x 1080 FHD LED AUO B156HW01 V.4 95% NTSC Matte Display $95.00
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-2670QM, 6MB L3 Cache, 2.2-3.1GHz
Memory: (8GB) 8192MB, PC3-10660/1333MHz DDR3 - 2 SO-DIMM
Graphics Card: AMD® Radeon HD 6990M 2GB GDDR5 $145.00
Hard Drive: 500GB 7200rpm 2.5" SATA 300
Optical Drive Bay: 8X Multi DVD+/-R/RW RAM Dual-Layer Drive
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium; 64-bit $80.00
Wireless: Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Wireless-N 1102 802.11A/B/G/N LAN Card
$30.00
Cooling: IC Diamond 7 Thermal Compound, CPU & GPU $40.00
Keyboard: English: US & Canada
Power Cord: US & Canada
Power Cord: Europe $9.00
Branding: MALIBAL
Build Time: 5-7 Business Days (Estimated Time)
Warranty: LIFETIME Ltd. Labor and 1 Year Parts Warranty with 24/7 Support (USA)
Extras: Standard Black Carrying Case
Extras: Integrated 2.0 Megapixel Web Camera
Extras: Integrated 9 in 1 Card Reader
Extras: Integrated Fingerprint Reader
Extras: MALIBAL Software & Drivers Disc
Extras: Microsoft Office Ready OS with Free 60-Day Trial
Extras: Microsoft Windows 7 DVD-ROM
Notebook Coolers: Cooler Master NotePal U3 Notebook Cooler $39.00
Reconfigure Lotus P150HM
Product Subtotal: $1,757.00 (minus the $100, $39 for no U3 cooler rack, and NBR discount...15-16k. Much more doable atm)

And from XoticPC:
Sager NP8150 / Clevo P150HM Sager NP8150 / Clevo P150HM
- 15.6" FHD 16:9 "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Anti-Glare Screen w/ 95% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080) (SKU - S1R317)
- 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-2670QM, 2.2-3.1GHz, (32nm, 6MB L3 cache) (SKU - S2N224)
- - IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU
- ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 6990M 2048MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11 $100 OFF (SKU - S3R151)
- 8GB - DDR3 1333MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (SKU - S4R365)
- Sager Branding
- 500GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache) - Default (SKU - S5R207)
- Combo Dual Layer SuperMulti DVDRW/CDRW Drive w/ Software (When selecting a Hard Drive in the Optical Bay, No Optical Drive is Included) (SKU - S7R455)
- Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
- Sager Intel® Advanced-N 6230 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module + Bluetooth (SKU - S8R111)
- Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Basic Black Business Case - Included
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
- Regular Size Notebook Cooler - Dual Fans - USB Powered (For up to 15.4" Laptops)
- ~Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit Installed (64&32-Bit CD Included) w/ Drivers & Utilities CD's + Microsoft Office Starter 2010 - Included with OS Purchase
- LIFETIME Ltd Labor* 1 Year Parts Warranty Lifetime -24/7 DOMESTIC Based- Toll Free Telephone Tech Support (Labor Warranty through Xotic PC)
Includes FREE Shipping Both Ways for Warranty Repairs (SKU - X9R009)
$1,652.00
Sub-Total: $1,652.00 (malibal's cost might be cheaper, plus I can grab an EU power cord from Malibal, which is huge for me)

 

It isn't that hot.. are you going to be playing games with the notebook on your lap?
When it's on a desk its fine... hardly goes over 90C when playing the most demanding games and it's the middle of summer down here. I've played games on my lap a couple of times, and it does get hot when the exhaust fans blow out on your legs. I guess a lap cooler like the U3 would be helpful, but other than that a book works just fine. I'm sitting with in on a bed in a really hot room on a really hot summer day in NZ, and my gpu is at 47C browsing websites and watching youtube. Not hot at all and the fans are super quiet, not blowing out much hot air.

 

Btw, I don't know if you're much of an audiophile or not, but the onboard sound card is pretty bad. Especially after changing from a desktop with a nice asus onboard sound card. I'd drop the U3 cooler and use that money to buy a usb sound card like the one I ordered from amazon the other day
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044DEDC0

hoping it's going to sound a lot better. I didn't consider myself much of an audiophile, but listening to music (Especially rock) is noticeably worse through my good speakers and my steelseries headset..

 

an IC diamond upgrade is more than enough imo, a cooler isn't really needed but it does help when you're in a bed or couch or rug or when you're overclocking.

I agree HDD or ram are easy additions that you could add later on if you feel the need for it so not really a requirement for your initial purchase.

good luck!!! it's a great machine

 

Hm, so I'm trying to decide between the two as well. One thing that prevents me from getting the Lotus is the negative things I've heard about the rubberized coating, and the one thing that prevents me from getting the Satori is the lack of a cheap Matte screen (I've also heard some bad things about the stock glossy screen, and I don't really want to drop $200 just for a screen..). If only the Satori had the Lotus' screen options, or the $135 matte option wasn't limited to Nvidia GPUs..

What to do...

 

Screen is more important though, you could still use your lappy with whatever condition the rubberized coating is in but you can't use your laptop if you saved up and got a glossy screen and terrible lighting or find yourself using it under the sun

 

Just ordered the Lotus!!

good matte screen
2670
6990m
8 gigs ram
500gigs (normal 7200 rpm....saving SSD upgrade for later)

 

congrats!! very similar specs as mine. you're gonna love it

now comes the real hard part of waiting for the shipment to arrive lol

 

I'm in the same boat as you, only I'm looking at either the Nine or Satori EM. How do you like your Lotus so far? Played many MMO's or FPS'ers?

 

So it looks like you've had your new laptop for a few months now. Can I hear your feedback on your Lotus? I'm about to put in an order myself so i hope you don't mind my piggy backing your thread - and can't decide between a Lotus, Satori, or an MSI model

Thanks